Handled carton



July 6, 1954 J, D. GRARY HANDLED CARTON Filed Jan. 3, 1950 J. D. CRARY HANDLED CARTON July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. s, 195o INVENTOR. Jay D (rd/*y Patented July 6, 1954 HANDLED CARTON J ay D'. Craryf Portland; Oreg; assignoretorPapem- Strapolncorporated;Portland, Oreg., a corporation-of.Oregon.-L

2 Claimsa l The *present invention cartons 'which are adapted to be "manufactured and :shipped tothe userin afat 'foldedcondition;V

it -being "left" to the 'user to setup: thencartonim,

mediatelyprior to the :filling andclosng thereof.'vv` The .'-principal obj ect-Tof #ther `present invention= i relates'f'to handled-:cargtons and, while not necessarily limitedfthereto;A to

is :to providea simple andiinexpensive'h'an'dle ar-y -v rangement which may readily be applied/towar-l ton'blanks by the -manufacturer'thereof without requiringany alteration in'the designV of the "car:

toni. itself;v the handle 'means 'being'. so arrangedr on 'the blank -that it Ido'esfnot interfere with the= setting up"op`erati'on"offthe carton norwith'the" lling and closure thereof,A thehandleA means `being lrmly and permanentlyA anchored in place by the normal Asealing f operationY required." for forming 'the topiand bottom'cl'osures of the'care ton. y

A further object off the present invention 'is `to provide a new f and improved 'method-of "attach-'- ing ra handle means onto 1acartonz In accordance withan lillustrated embodiment;

a handle member in` the -fo'rm'of "a lengtliiof paper strap is attached to a'carton blankiby securing'` the opposite end portions ofth'estrapflength onto'v` the outer surfaces of Vapair-of-'oppositeiiaps iri-` tegralwith onev off the end wall's" ofthe carton# blank 'with vthe intermediate portion'- of the strap extending -acrosssuchfend lwallT W'lilen the fear-2' ton is set up and the upper and lower aps foldedandI secured together inra4 superpo'sed` relation; the

oppositef end portions 'of `"the *strap length" are@ r'mly anchored "in placef A i slight amounty vof thestrap length whereby such"interniediate'portion forms a convenient carryingchandl,-

For a consideration of what is believed novel and inventive, attention is `directed *tothejfb lowing description taken in connectin with'tl'ie accompanying Vdrawings vWhile'V the yfeatnres'of novelty will be pointed out with greater *particularity in the appended claims Referring now to the drawings,

Fig; l shows a handled 'carton constructed in" accordance with one form ofY the present'inven'e tion;

Fig; 2 is a fragmentary view-illustrating a'short" piece of strap such'as 'may be used`for forming?` the "handle fmember `incorpmated in rthe cartone.

shown inFig'sl;

Fig. 3 is Aa plan'viewfotthecarton'blankstprior tolfolding'thereofyf f y Fig; 4 is a viewfofthe carton-blank partial'lyfias-f sembled and .foldedfin conditionrfor shipping;

'the invention;v and;`

Figli 12Lis an',l enlargediifragmentary"crossesecgf tionali/iewitaken along:the line :I Zir-IZ of FigfglL Inf'Figi 1, ascartoni'isz-indicated generally atsI 0.2i andrwhich' is. provided fwithr :a handle also indi#4 cated generally 'fat II I.. Referring: toFi'g;y 3,4 the cartoni-10 is adaptedtofbe madelvoi'papertboard; corrugated ber boardorftheflike and consists"` ofr" alternateif side wallen I 22 and`- endfwalls- I 3 hingedly 'andintegra'lly lconnected together `along i' theparallelol'd'lines -:I4.` Foldablelflaps I5'and'.

lli-are provided. integral witlrthe*opposite edges l offivth'e side: Wallsand end walls respectively, the latterapsf-beingfol'dable along the fold lines I'Iy and; I8 extending at right angles vwith respect? slack isprovided/intheintermediate portiorr'of 'inrwhichoppositfedges:ofthe-side and lend walls are hin'gedly'fconnectedftogether; Cartons of="th'e type# described? aref normally f shipped by the manufacturer w'in thepartiallyIassembledfand fiat folddfcon'ditizonf'asshownfinffFigs'n@and 5 :to-the immediately prior tothe llingandclsing of they samer f In: accordanceffw-ithithe present inventionan elongated:handl'fmember 'I I vis'arranged 'extende' allele'with tlueQtd flinesfl I *preferl to fform'the handlermernber I I from: enigthof paperistrap';

a slfiortsectiont off rvvlnlcli- Y szffurther-illustratediin?=Y the Sperspectivefview r oig: 2.: This strapi'cona siststpfrastriproffvrelatively thinzand toughkraft'i paper, .the oppositeilongitudinal edge:portions off which# are f folded :i over :fuponr` themselves: plu.-

ralitmofftimes'ras'indicated at=2 0.1;, Thevparticularw form? of paper:strapshownxisv more ffully describeclY and claimed in my copending patent application Serial No. 6i'7,168J now Patent No. 2,499,463, entitled Paper Strap. The opposite end portions 22 of a suitable length of such paper strap are adhesively secured in a superposed relation onto the outer surface of the opposite flaps I6 on. the end Wall I3 with the folded side of the strap next adjacent the carton blank and which may readily be done while the blank is in the flat condition as illustrated either in Fig. 3 or 4. In securing the strap end portions onto the carton blank a slight amount of slack should be provided -in the intermediate strap portion as illustrated by Fig. 6, the purpose for doing which will be more fully described hereinafter.

For setting up the carton, the blank shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is first unfolded as shown in Fig. 8 and the bottom wall is then sealed up. rI'he outer surface of the end wall flaps I6 and the outer surface of the strap end portion secured thereto are first covered with adhesive as indicated in Fig. 9, the end wall flaps folded inwardly toward each other and the side wall flaps I5 then folded over the flaps I6 and secured thereto in a superposed relation. By reason of the fact that the adjacent edges of the side wall flaps I5 substantially abut each other along the longitudinal center line of the bottom of the carton, the end portion 22 of the handle strap is covered by the flaps I5. The carton when placed on its bottom as indicated in Fig. may be filled. In Fig. 10 the carton is shown filled with a plurality of cylindrical containers 24 though it will be obvious that the carton may be filled with anything. After the carton is filled the outer surface of the upper end wall flaps I3 including the end portion 22 of the handle strap attached thereto are coated with adhesive, folded inwardly toward each other and the upper side wall flaps I5 are thenY folded over and secured to the end wall flaps to form the top closure in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 9.

The carton with its enclosed contents is then ready for shipping. The merchant in arranging the cartons upon the display counter may set them on end as shown in Fig. l with the end having the handle attached thereto facing upwardly. Labels or other printed matter may be so arranged upon the carton that the top thereof will be adj acent the handled end of the carton and whereby the printing may be readily read with the carton setting on end. This is relatively unimportant, however, for even though the carton is rested on its bottom the customer can still readily pick up the carton by the handle extending across the end wall. Referring to the view of Fig. '7 it will be observed that because of the slack provided in the intermediate handle portion at the time of attachment thereof onto the carton blank a relatively small space 26 exists between the handle strap and the adjacent end wall I3 of the carton to facilitate the insertion of the fingers therebetween. It has been observed that the amount of slack required need not be great for the reason that in picking up the carton the contents will normally settle downwardly therewithin and permit a certain amount of inward flexing of the end wall under a slight amount of pressure exerted thereagainst upon the initial insertion of the finger tips between the handle strap and the wall I3. Because of the fact that the handle strap lies closely adjacent the end wall I3 it does not interfere with the flat folding and packaging of the blanks as shown in Fig. 4, nor does the handle interfere with the setting up of the carton, the formation of the top and bottom closure walls nor with the filling of the carton. Machines have heretofore been developed for automatically performing these latter operations and it has been discovered that the presence of the handle II upon the carton blank does not in any way interfere with the successful operation of such machines.

Because of the fact that the strap is flat and relatively wide, with rounded opposite edges, it forms a grip comfortable to the hand so that even relatively heavy loads contained within the carton may be carried with ease. Because of the further fact that the opposite end portions 22 of the handle strap are secured between the adjacent superposed flaps forming the top and bottom closure walls, the strap is permanently anchored in place and cannot be peeled off. The strap end portions 22 are also fully protected against the possibility of being scraped off by rubbing action between adjacent loaded cartons during shipment.

While I prefer to attach the handle straps onto the carton blank at the point of original manufacture thereof, it will be obvious that the handles may be attached to the carton by the user during the setting up, filling and closure operations illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, in the drawings.

In Figs 1l and 12 is illustrated a further modification of the invention and which is particularly suitable in the case of cartons which are intended to be filled with snugly fitting rigid containers. In such instances, when the carton is upended downward flexing of the upper end wall might not be permissible to such an extent enabling free insertion of the fingers beneath the strap handle. According to this modification the end wall I3 to which the handle strap II is attached is slit longitudinally as shown at 21 beneath the strap. This slit 21 is covered by the strap and is not noticeable except when the strap is lifted. With a slight amount of slack provided in the intermediate handle portion the finger tips may be inserted therebeneath and because of the longitudinal slit 21 the adjacent edge portions 28 of the end wall I3 will bend downwardly as shown in Fig. 12 into the space between adjacent containers 24 to facilitate the insertion of the ngers freely beneath the handle I I.

Having described the invention in what I consider to be preferred embodiments thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the specific details are merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim is:

1. A flat folded carton blank comprising a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, one pair of opposite'edge portions of each of said side walls being hingedly connected to corresponding adiacent edge portions of both of said end walls defining a collapsed tubular unit, flaps integral with opposite edges of each of said walls foldable along fold lines extending at right angles to the hinge lines connecting said side and end walls, a length of flat strap extending transversely and centrally across'the outer surface of one of said end walls in the direction parallel with the hinge lines between said side and end walls, the opposite ends of said length of strap being secured in superposed relation to the outer surface of the flaps integral with the opposite edges of said one end wall, the flaps of said end walls being .adapted to be folded toward each other and the aps integral with said side Walls being adapted to be glued in superposed relation onto the outer surface of the corresponding end Wall naps and to the outer surface of said strap end portions whereby when said carton is set up and sealed closed both of the opposite surfaces of said strap end portions are adhesively secured to adjacent surfaces of said end wall and side wall flaps, the intermediate portion of said strap extending loosely across said one eneL Wall throughout the entire transverse length thereof defining a carrying handle for said carton.

2. A carton comprising a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, one pair of opposite edge portions of each of said side Walls being hinged- 1y connected to corresponding adjacent edge portions of both of said end Walls, flaps integral With opposite edges of each of said Walls folded along fold lines extending at right angles to the hinge lines connecting said side and end Walls, a length of flat strap extending transversely and centrally across the outer surface of one of said end walls in the direction parallel With the hinge lines between said side and end Walls, the opposite ends of said length of strap being secured in superposed relation to the outer surface of the aps integral with the opposite edges of said one end Wall, the aps of said end Walls being folded toward each other and the flaps integral with said side walls being glued in a superposed .relation onto the outer surface of corresponding end Wall flaps and to the outer surface of said strap end portions whereby said side Wall flaps completely cover said end wall flaps and said strap end portions, and Whereby'the opposite surfaces of said strap end portions are adhesively secured to adjacent surfaces of said end Wall and side Wall aps, the intermediate portion of said strap extending loosely across said one end Wall throughout the entire transverse length thereof defining a carrying handle for said carton.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 286,654 Tobias Oct. 16, 1883 291,805 Tatum Jan. 8, 1884 1,944,328 Jonas Jan. 23, 1934 1,952,056 Cook Mar. 27, 1934 2,028,085 Brunt Jan. 14, 1936 2,196,055 Cantor Apr. 2, 1940 2,196,184 Belcher Apr. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain of 1901 

